Apparatus for separating sand



Sept. 11, 1923.

, 3,467,34 G. R. YOUNG APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SAND v I INVENTOR.

A BY

l i 'ro .'1 ATTORNEYS.

Y Sept, 11, 192s.v m5713418 Y -f G.R.YouNe j y APPARATUS non srgPARATiNG SAND Original Filed Oct. 17. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '11,' ,ArroRNEx/s.

Patented Sept. 1l, 1923.

UNITED STATES PAT FFl'CE.

GEORGE ROBERT YOUNG,l OF HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MIBNE AiSSGIN- MENTS, TO YOUNG SAND AND GRAVEL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COB- I'ORATION 0F NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SAND.

Application ledOctober 17, 1919, Serial No. 331,439. Renewed July 18, 1923.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE ROBERT YOUNG, a subject of the British Empire (who has declared his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States), residing at Huntington, county of Suffolk, and State of New York, have invented a certain new andruseful Apparatus for Separating Sand, of Whichthe following is a specification.

This invention is a separating apparatus, the same being useful, more particularly, in mechanically and hydraulically separating gravel,` sand andl grit one' from the other in order to attain economy of time and' clabor in the treatment of such natural materials and thereby render the Same marketable as products.

According to this invention, the flow of a liquid current is utilized in connection with a mechanical screen to preliminarily effect the separation of the sand and grit from the grave-l or analogous mineral aggregate, and as a continuousstep in the treatment of the separated material, the sand is thereafter separated from the grit by the action of a second mechanical screen in conjunction with the flow of a liquid current. As a result of the separating and washing pro'- cesses, gravel, grit and sand are rapidly., and economic-ally separated 011e from the', other. such separated meterialsare accumf-v ulated in vindependent masses, suitable means being provided whereby the materials are independently carried to appropriate receptacles or other desired places of deposit whence the separated masses may be distributed as found desirable.

Other functions andV advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection. with the drawings, Wherein- .f "Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a separating apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. Q. is a vertical cross section partly in end elevation, the plane of the section being indicated vby the irregular dotted line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section partly in end elevation, the lane of the section being on the line3-3 of *ig. 1.

' In carrying my invention into practice means are provided whereby water is caused to flow at slow speed within a definite channel, said means being either a natural water course or an artificial channel. In Fig. 1

of the drawings the water course Afis shown.

as concerns the bottom a thereof, -is interrupted by the provision of a chamber B, the walls b and lthe bottom 'b of which are artificially created by excavating the materiall and by theestablishment of concrete walls and the-bottom. It is essential that said chamber B shall be in communication with the water channel, and further that the bottom b of the chamber shall 'be in a plane below the bottom L of the water course.

Positioned in cooperative relation to the water course or channel A is a screening mechanism, the under surface of which extends below the normal.- level of the water adapted to flow within the channel .A, whereby the water is adapted to How through or within the screen for the purpose of washing sand and grit from the gravel under treatment within thescreening mechanism. It is preferred to employ a rotary 'tapering screen C, the under surface of which screen is inclined at an angle to the normal level of the water within the channel A. Said screen is composed of a desirable number of metal hoops or bands c, a metal band c at the feeding end of the cylinder, an imperforate head c2 at the delivery end of the screen, and foraminous or perforated material o8 attached to the bands c, the feed member c andthe delivery member c2. Preferably, the perforated members c3 are composed of -wire material, the meshy of which is of such size that the gravel present in the material under treatment will be retained within the screen, whereas the sand and line grit will be carried vby flotation with the water, a salient Afeature of the invention bein that the How of water within the screen acts to wash the sand and grit from the gravel and to perform the additional function of carrying the sand and gravel through and away from the screen C, whereby the sand and grit may by' a subsequent treatment be separated so that the sand is collected in one mass,` whereas the rit is collected in a separate recelver, as will presently appear.

yThe rotary tapering screen C may obvi-` tions of which protrude beyond the cylinder so that the shaft is adapted to be mountedin appropriate bearings d d attached to supporting rails al of a suitable framework. Means arel rovided for imparting rotary motion to t e shaft and the screen, said driving means being illustrated in the form of a gear d2 adapted to mesh with a ear pinion d3 on a horizontal shaft D', the latter being supported in suitable `bearings d* and being driven by a sprocket and chain gearing d, all as shown in Fig. l. Y

The material to betreated is obtained from any source of supply, said material consisting of gravel, sand and grit adapted to be transported from its place of natural deposit to the treating apparatus. Means are provided for automatically feeding said material into the screen C. As herein shown, the feed means is a hopper E having a spout e which is inclined so as to extend into the imperforate sectionl c of the screen, whereby the material flows by gravity into the small end of the screen. The rotation of the screen subjects the material to agitation, and

the under surface of the tapering screen beingv inclined in an opposite direction to the direction of ilow of the water within the channel A, effects the gravity feed of the material 'within' the screen land in an opposite direction to the flow of water through the screen and within the channel. The agitation and gravity feed of the material results in the collection of the gravel within the member 02 at the larger end of the screen, whereas the circulation of water through the screen washes the sand and grit from the gravel by flotation, and thus sand and grit are carried out of the screen with the water and along the channel or course A in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. v

Means are provided for automatically discharging the gravel collected wlithin the member c2 at the larger end of the screen, said collecting and discharging means being shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The member c2 of the screen is provided with an inwardly extending flange f constituting an annular head or ring at the delivery end of the screen. Secured within the member c2 and its head f is a series of buckets f, the same being shown in the form of plates fixed to the member 02 on the inner surface thereof and extending tangentiall said member.' xtending into the member c2 of the screen is a hopper F positioned 'in cooperative relation to the buckets f', whereby the gravel elevatedy by thev buckets f upon the rotation of the screen C is deposited within said hopper F. The bottom f2 of the hopper is open for. the free exit of the gravel deposited therein, see Fig; 3,

to the circular outlinev of and be collected or accumulated in a pit or gravel bank, whence the gravel may be transported as desired. Y

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the gravel is preliminarily y separated from the sand and grit by the hydraulic action of the water and by the mechanical operation of the first screen C, and thereafter the sand and grit are carried by flotation to a second screening mechanism wherein the sand and grit are mechanically separated one from the other and subjected to hydraulic action so that the fine particles of sand may be discharged separately` from the grit.

The second screen referred to is shown as a tapering rotatable screen H which in a preferred form is considerably shorter and of greater diameter than the primary separating screen C. Said second screen is'com-4 posed of one or a suitable number of bands h, a delivery member h', and a suitable number of perforated members h2. The perforated members h2 are composed of 'foraminous or erforated material, preferably wire materia the meshes of which are of such size as to retain the gritty material, whereas the finer particles of sand are permitted to pass through the openings of said screen mate-rial. The second screen H is carried by a shaft H journaled in bearings 'i attached to suitable rails z". Said second screen is positioned over the collecting chamber B, the length of the screen being somewhat less than the width of the chamber. Furthermore, the second .screen is arranged for its under surface toextend well, below the normal level of the water flowing within the channel A and over the chamber B, and, further, the receiving end of the screen H is adjacent the bed a of the water course. It will be recalled that the screen C has an under surface inclined in one direction to the normal level ofthe water within the course A, but the screen H is so related to the parts with which it co-acts that the under surface of lsaid screen H is inclined in an opposite direction to that of the corresponding surface of screen C, said under surface of the screen Hbeing not only inclined to the normal level of the water, but inclined also to the bed a of the water course so that said under surface of screen H extends in an inclined direction within the upper part of collecting chamber B, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The relation of lwater course is such that the sand and grit carried by the water away from the screen C will flow into and be caught by the screen H, so that the sand and grit will be subjected to agitation by the rotary motion of said screen H and conjointly with this agitation the sand and grit are exposed to the hydraulic action of the water flowing within the course and over the Chamber, thereby effectively separating the sand from the grit so that the sand will be accumulated within the chamber B, the bottom b of which `is in a plane below the bed a, of the water course. Owing to the specific gravity of thesand and grit carried by the flow of water within screen C, said sand and grit will be precipitated upon the bed a of the water course, along which the sand and grit will be carried by the flow of water, butin this connection it will be noted that the under surface of the partially submerged screen H is in a plane below and inclined at an angle to the bed a of the water course, and, further, that the receiving end of the screen H is in close proximity to said bed a, whereby the sand and grit will be carried into the' screen H by the flow of Water within the course.

Separate means are provided for discharging thegrit collected by the screen H and for discharging from. the chamber B the 'sand accumulated therein. The gritty material agitated by the rotary motion of the screen is retained by the mesh of said screen so that it will pass into the imperforate section h at the large delivery end of screen H, said delivery section h being provided with an inwardly extending flange j wnstituting an annular head for the screen H, see Figs. 1 and 2. Secured within the im rforate section l1. of the second screen is a series of buckets j', shown in Fig. 2 as flat plates attached to the -section h so as to lie tangentially thereto. Said buckets are adapted by the rotary motion of the screen to carry the gritty material to the upper part of the screen whence the material is discharged into a hopper I, the latter being secured by suitable means in fixed relation to the screen so that .the hopper extends into the imperforate section z. of said screen. As in the case of the hopper F, said hopper I is provided with an opening 2 in the bottom thereof, and beneath said open bottom hopper operates an off-bearing carrier J, shown 1n Fig. 2 as an endless belt passing around a pplley or belt wheel j mounted on the shaft of the second screen. Suitable means are provided for imparting rotary motion to the second screen as shown, the shaft H of the second screen is in alinement with the shaft D of the first screen C. and the adjacent ends of the shafts D H are united by a coupling js so that the motion of the shaft D is communicated directly to the shaft H for imparting the rotary motion to screen H.

The means for discharging the sand accumulated within thechamber B is shown in below which operates an off-bearing carrier L, the latter being drven'by a suitable pulley Z on the shaft AH of the second screen, see Figs. l and 2.

The operation is as follows Water in the required volume and at a desired speed flows within the channel or course and over the chamber B. Motion having been imparted to the screens C H, thematerial is fed through hopper E into screen C. The material is agitated by the rotary motionl of the screen, and the coarser particles `are fed by gravity down the inclined surface of said screen C, whereas the flow of water through screen C washes sand and grit from thel gravel. collected within member c2 of screen and is carried by .the buckets f' to be deposited in the hopper F, whence the gravel is carried by the conveyor G to the gravel bank. The sand and grit. are carried by flotation along the course A, and said sand and grit pass into second screen H, wherein said materials are subjected to agit-ation and to the action of the water.y The grit is separated mechanically by the screenlng action from the sand, said gritty material passing into the imperforate section 71. of the screen and carried by the buckets j to the hopper I, whence the The gravel is rial and sand are carried to a still other y place of deposit, the separation of the three materials one from the other being due to the -screening action of the parts C H, and to the hydraulic action of the current of water whereby the material is handled and separated in an efficient and economical manner.

In a practical form of the apparatus, it isA desirable to preclude the sand vand grit carried by the current flowing within the channel from passing directly into the chamber or pit, and to this end I provide a baille D2, shown in the drawing as a plate attached to the bed of the channel or course.

Said

plate extends across the space intervening the end of the channel or course and the chamber, the said plate projecting into the second screen and operating to direct the lower strata of sand and grit into said screen, whereby the baffle tends to contribute to the delivery of the sand and grit so as to insure that these materials will be subjected to a second screening action.

In addition t0 the functions hereinbefore recited, the flow of water within the first screen acts to carry off any branches or roots.

of trees, or otherV foreign matter, that may be present in the natural material when it is excavated and thereafter supplied to the first screen. It is to be observed that the inlet end of said first screen is below the normal water level flowing within the channel, and that the water flows out of said inlet end. It has been observed that the natural material 1 frequently contains dirt and more or less vegetable matter, such as the roots or branches of trees. Ordinarily, thehydraulic separation of gravel from the other materials is carried on under such conditions that the roots and vegetable matter remain in the gravel, reducing the value of the gravel as a marketable commodity. In my invention, however, this condition is eliminated. The agitation of the natural material by the rotary motion of thefirst screen and the flow of water in one direction while the gravel travels in a contrary. direction, tends to free the branches, roots and other vegetable matter from the gravel, as a result of which the branches, roots and vegetable matter will float on the surface of the water and thus be carried out of the first screen, through the channel, and also through the second screen, whereby the vegetable matter is separated from the sand, gravel and grit so as to be discharged with the flowing water, and the gravel is delivered in a clean condition to a point at one side ofthe water course, it being noted that the dirt is washed out of the gravel, sand and grit and fioats away with the flowing water.

The process of separating gravel from the sand vand grit. and of separating the sand from the grit, herein disclosed, forms the Subject matter of a separate application filed by me on even date herewith, Ser. No. 331,439.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A separating apparatus of the class described embodying screening mechanism the operating surface of which is free from obstruction to the flow of a separating current and within which the material to be Vseparated is subjected `to agitation, and

means whereby the flow ofa liquid current is established in such relation to said operating surface of said screening mechanism as to carry off by flotation the finer material from the coarser material under treatment.

2. A separating apparatus of the class described embodying means for establishing the flow of a liquid in one direction, and screening mechanism partially submerged in the liquid and with the upper surface of said screening mechanism free from obstruction to the flow thereover of a separating hydraulic current, said screening mechanism ope-rating to effect the separation of coarse material from the finer material and the flow of the lliquid tending to wash the finer material from the coarse material and by flotation to carry the finer material through and beyondl the screening mechanism.

3. A separating apparatus of the class described embodying a rotatable screen, the

Yinner surface of which is free from obstruction to the'fiow of a hydraulic current, means for feeding the material to be treated into said screen, and means for establishing the flow ofi a liquid current within the screen and in a direction opposite to the path of said material within the screen.

4. A separating apparatus of they class described embodying means 'for establishingv the flow of liquid in one direction, a rotatable screen partially submerged in said liquid,'said screen having an inner surface free from obstruction to the fiow of a hydraulic current and said screen presenting an inclined surfaceto the direction of movement of' the liquid, whereby the material under treatment is adapted to gravitate in a direction opposite to the flow of the liquid, and means for feeding material to be treated into said screen.

5. A separating apparatus of the`class described embodying means wherein a liquid is adapted to flow in one direction, a r0- tatable screen partially submerged in said liquid, said screen having an inner surface free rfrom obstruction to the flow of a hydraulic current and said screen being tapering to present a surface inclined to the direction of flow ofthe liquid within said screen, means for feeding the material to be treated into the screen, and means for collecting the coarse material separated by the screen from the finer material adapted by flotation to 'be carried out of the screen by the flowof the liquid.

6. A separating apparatus of the class described embodying a water course-wherein water is free to flow in one direction, a rotatable screen positioned for a part of its lower surface to extend below the nurmal water level within said course, the surface of said screen being free from obstruction to the flow of a hydraulic current and said screen surface being at an angle to the water line, means for feeding the material t0 with said water course, and a rotatable.

screen the inner surface of which is free from obstruction to the flow of a hy-y draulic current and the under surface 'of which is below the water level in said course, said screen occupying such relation tothe watercourse that the material under treatment travels in a direction opposite to the flow of water within the screen whereby the material is washed and the finer particles of material are carried by flotationwith the water from said screen and into said eollecting chamber.

8. A hydraulic separatin apparatus of the class described embo ying a water course wherein water is free to Aflow in one direction, a collecting chamber in communication with .'said water course, a rotatable screen positioned over the water course 'and in such relation to the same that the under surface of the screen is substantially below the normal water level 'within the course, and a second rotatable screen positioned over the collecting chamber and with its under surface below the normal level of the water adapted to gflow within the water course and the collecting chamber.

9. A hydraulic separatin apparatus of the class 4described emboying a water course the bottom of which is interrupted by a collecting chamber, a rotatable screen positioned partially within the water course for the water toow in one directionwithin said screen whereas the coarse material under,treatment moves in an opposite direction within the screen, a second rotatable screen positioned over the collecting chamber and for its under surface to extend below the normal level of the water in said water course, and means for separatelydischar 'ng the coarse material collected lby the t screen and the finer material col lected within said chamber.

10. A hydraulic separating apparatus o1 the class described embodying a water course'provided with a collecting chamber the bottom of which is in a plane below the bottom of said water course, screening mechanism partially within the water course fol the water to iow in one direction within the' thesecond screening mechanism, means for the class described embod discharging coarse `material lcollected bythe mechanism, and Ameans for er material collected within course provided with a collecting chamber the. bottom of which is in a plane below the bottom of said water course, a tapering screen ositioned Jfor its lower surface to extend a low the normal water level withiny said course, said under surface of the screen beingin a plane inclined in one direction to the water level, -and a second tapering screen positioned substantiallyv ove'1 said collecting chamber and for itsjunder surface to extend below xthe water level, said under surface of the second screen being in a plane inclined oppositely to the angle of inclination of the rst screen. Y

12. A hydraulic separating apparatus of the class described embodying a water course provided with a collecting-chamber the bottom of which is in a plane below the bottom of said water course, a tapering screen ositioned for its lower surface to being in a plane inclined in one direction to the water level, a second tapering screen positioned. substantially over said collecting chamber and for its under surface to extend below the Water level, said under surface Y of the 4second screen being in a plane in- 13. A hydraulic separating apparatus of the class described embodying a. water course provided with a collecting chamber the bottom of which is in a plane below the' bottom of said water course, a rotatable screen positioned over said course for the under surfaceof said screen to extendA below the normal water level, a second screen over .the collectin chamber and'positioned for its underv sur ace to lie in aplan'e substantially below the bottom of said water course, and means for discharging the materials collected byfsaid first screen and said chamber.

14. A hydraulic separating apparatus of ying a water course `provided with a collecting chamber the bottom of which is in a plane below the bottom of said water course, a rotatable screen positioned over said course for the under surface of said screen to extend below the normal water level, a second screen positioned over the collecting chamber for the receiving end of said screen to be adjacent the bottom of said water course, and

means for separately discharging themati rials collected by said rst screen and said of the water and said second screen, and means forefecting the separate discharge chamber.L l

.- 15 A hydraulic separating apparatus of 5 the class described embodying va Water course, a screen positioned 4for itsunder surface to 'extend below the 4norm/al level vof'.

the Water in said course, a collecting chamber in ,comrnumcation with sa1d. Water having arate from the send by the conjoint action of gravel collected by the first screen,A the grit collected by the second screen, and the sand collected by said chamber,

.In testimony whereof I have -hereunto snbscribedmy name this 14th day of October,y 1919. f

- GEoRGE ROBERT YOUNG.

ineens-for collecting the grit sep- 

